Oregon man upset by McDonald's order calls 911 repeatedly

CLACKAMAS, Ore. - A man upset at the way McDonald's employees handled his order was charged after allegedly calling 911 repeatedly on Friday to report the restaurant had robbed him, authorities said.

Jeremy Lloyd Martin, 23, was charged with improper use of the 911 service, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said. He spent a night in jail over the incident.

According to a tape of the 911 calls released by Clackamas County 911, a man initially told a dispatcher that he was at the McDonald's near the intersection of Southeast Sunnyside Road and Southeast 82nd Avenue and needed help. The man said he had paid $10 in the drive-thru but only received a single burger and a fry before he was told to pull around.

"Sir, this is not a police matter," the dispatcher told him. "You need to take it up with the manager of the McDonald's."

But a person who identified himself as Martin called back demanding that dispatchers send a police officer to the scene and threatening to sue.

"Sir, 911 is life-and-death only," the dispatcher said. "If you do continue calling 911 you will be arrested for misuse."

"Well, arrest me at (expletive) 82nd and Sunnyside Road," the caller responded. "Please send a cop right now. I swear to God all my life..."

Eventually an officer arrived after a person who identified himself as Martin had called 911 again.

A McDonald's employee also called 911 to report that three men were screaming at her and trying to fight. The dispatcher told her to keep the doors locked and not to approach the drive-thru. Another witness told 911 the men were harassing employees.

On Saturday, Martin told KATU he stood by his actions.

"I was very upset that they tried to charge me for food I had already paid for," he said.

Martin said he has worked on the other side of the drive-thru window as an assistant manager at a competing fast food restaurant and has called 911 over disputes involving customers but was never before arrested.

"For me to end up going to jail over a $10 order, that's just ridiculous," he said.